Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones speaks to the press following Judge Steven Rhodes approval of Detroit's historic restructuring plan on Friday November 7, 2014 at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Detroit ending the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
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WASHINGTON -- A group of Detroit clergy, labor union leaders and Democratic Party activists have voted to throw their support behind City Council President Brenda Jones to replace former U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit.

The group of so-called stakeholders made their decision over the weekend after meeting with most, if not all, of the candidates in the crowded field of Democrats running to replace Conyers, 88, who stepped down in December amid allegations he sexually harassed or otherwise acted inappropriately with women staffers.

Conyers denied the allegations but stepped down nonetheless after 53 years in office. Whoever wins the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 7 primary is virtually assured of winning the general election in the heavily Democratic district which stretches from Detroit south and west into Wayne County.

Faced with the prospect of the crowded field of Democrats deeply splitting the field and the party's voters, the group of about 30 people convened last week to begin meeting with candidates in order to settle on one they would endorse, said Jonathan Kinloch, chairman of the 13th District Democratic Party organization.

"I believe she (Jones) won because of her longstanding commitment to the community and labor as well as the mere fact that she is a presence on the (City) Council," said Kinloch. "Brenda Jones is a strong and well-loved candidate who will get out there and do what’s necessary to win the August primary."

Jones had already received the endorsement of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, making her the likely pick of establishment Democrats in the city, which makes up slightly more than half of the congressional district.

Kinloch -- who did not reveal the names of the people in the group or their organizations -- said the people who voted were now expected to go back to their respective organizations and urge them to get behind Jones in an attempt to consolidate support behind a single Democrat.

As the Free Press reported last week, concerns have been voiced that the large field, which includes several qualified candidates as well as Conyers' son, John III, and grand-nephew, state Sen. Ian Conyers, D-Detroit, could hopelessly split, resulting in the nomination and election of someone who is not a black Detroiter in a district historically and traditionally linked with both.

Still, there is no guarantee that even if the various groups coalesce behind Jones that she won't face a tough race in a political atmosphere that has been hard on establishment candidates, especially if several candidates remain in the campaign.

Among those running are state Sen. Coleman Young II, the son of a legendary Detroit mayor; former state Reps. Shanelle Jackson and Rashida Tlaib; Westland Mayor Bill Wild; lawyer Godfrey Dillard; and newcomers Michael Gilmore, a former Democratic staffer, and Kentiel White, a former Detroit Police community service officer.

Contact Todd Spangler at 703-854-8947 or at tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tsspangler.